being part of the corps left under General Heukelom for the
defence of the frontier. The same day Marlborough ex-
tended his right to St. Hubert's Lill, where he established his
headquarters. He had scarcely entered his new position
before reports arrived that the enemy were again in motion.
With his characteristic vigilance he instantly mounted his
horse, and spent twelve hours in reconnoitring the ground
and obtaining intelligence of their march. While he re-
mained in this position, the castle of Gravenbrock, which
was held by a small French garrison, was compelled to sur-
render by a detachment under Lord Cutts.

On the 2d of August Marlborough again prolonged his
march by bringing his left to St. Hubert's Lill, and stretch-
ing his right to Little Bruegel, where he established his head-
quarters. At the same time the enemy continued their hasty
progress, and took post between Peer and Bray. As Marl-
borough calculated that they would direct their march
through Sonhoven to Beringhen, he proposed to attack them,
either in their passage over the heaths beyond Bray or in
their camp at Sonhoven, which was so ill chosen as to render
defeat inevitable. But according to the information of Ber-
wick, who was present, they were saved by the timidity of
the Dutch deputies, who refused their assent. Thus fa-
voured, the French succeeded in reaching Beringhen unmo-
lested, on the 5th of August, and the same day the confede-
rate army established itself in the rear of Peer, with the
right on the Dommel and the left at Erlicum.

Marlborough had thus compelled the enemy to abandon
the course of the Meuse, and leave him at liberty to prose-
cute his designs against the fortresses on that river. While
preparations were making for the siege of Venloo, he em-
ployed detachments to destroy the fortifications of Peer and
Bray, which lay in the line of his communications. Here he
was joined by ten battalions and several squadrons, with a
small train of artillery, from Maestricht, the garrison of
which was disengaged by his advance.

With a view to ulterior operations, he prepared to pass the
Dommel; but the French commanders, for the purpose of
threatening his communications, broke up from Beringhen
on the 9th, and marching by Moll and Bergueick to Ry-
thoven, detached Berwick on the 12th to Eyndhoven, to cut

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